Item: Ford Tourneo Connect
Rating: 3
Author: What Car? Team

BMW 2 Series Active Tourer

BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer

Citroën Berlingo

Citroën C4 Spacetourer

Citroën Grand C4 Spacetourer

Citroën Spacetourer

Fiat 500L

Ford Galaxy

Ford S-Max

Ford Tourneo Connect

Ford Tourneo Courier

Ford Tourneo Custom

Ford Transit Nugget

Mercedes B-Class

Mercedes EQV

Mercedes V-Class

Mercedes V-Class Marco Polo

Peugeot Rifter

Peugeot Traveller

Renault Grand Scenic

Renault Scenic

Seat Alhambra

Ssangyong Turismo

Toyota Proace Verso

Vauxhall Combo Life

Vauxhall Vivaro Life

Volkswagen Caddy California

Volkswagen California

Volkswagen Caravelle

Volkswagen Golf SV

Volkswagen Grand California

Volkswagen Sharan

Volkswagen Touran

Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

The Tourneo Connect has its faults, but it’s pretty cheap, relatively speaking; even the highest trims significantly undercut the modestly equipped trims of rivals including the Volkswagen Touran and Citroën Grand C4 Spacetourer. And don’t think its value plummets like a stone either, because after three years it’s predicted to have depreciated at a similar rate to a Touran.

A Grand C4 Spacetourer with a diesel engine is claimed to be more efficient, though, meaning the Tourneo Connect will cost you more at the pumps. Despite higher CO2 emissions, company car tax remains comparatively cheap because of that low list price.

Entry-level Zetec trim comes with a few basic appointments, such as front and rear electric windows, air-con and a heated windscreen. We’d go for the top-spec Titanium trim; it’s not much more expensive and adds a driver’s armrest, power-fold door mirrors, cruise control, 16in alloy wheels (instead of wheel trims), auto lights and wipers, privacy glass and a panoramic sunroof.

Back in 2013, Euro NCAP awarded the Tourneo Connect five stars in its crash test. The adult occupant protection score of 94% is very good, while 85% for child occupant protection is only just behind the Touran’s. Automatic emergency braking is standard on Titanium versions; this is another reason it’s our favourite trim.

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter <a href="https://pages.haymarket.com/whatcar/wcar-form.html">here</a>

There is a petrol option of the Tourneo Connect, but we have yet to try it. And because it’s a 1.0-litre three-cylinder unit with only 99bhp, it’s unlikely to be sprightly.

The 1.5-litre diesel comes in two states of tune: 99bhp and 118bhp. So far, we’ve driven only the pokier version – yet we’re duty-bound to report that sadly there’s not much poke from this.

It’s fine if you’re simply ambling around town, but get it on the motorway and you’ll discover precious little oomph below 2000rpm and breathlessness above 4000rpm, leaving just a narrow band of supine surge in-between. Ford claims a lacklustre 0-62mph time of 12.6sec – and bear in mind that’s before you’ve filled it to the gunwales with people and things.

It’s far from the roughest diesel in the world, but it’s grumblier than a Volkswagen Touran’s or Citroën Grand C4 Spacetourer’s and transmits more vibrations into the interior controls. Mind you, the six-speed manual gearbox that’s standard with the 118bhp engine is a gem, feeling lovely and precise to use with its pleasingly short throw. The petrol model also gets this transmission, while the 99bhp diesel unit comes with a five-speed manual. Both diesels have the option of a six-speed auto ’box.

The clutch and brakes are progressive, so it’s easy to avoid an unseemly kangaroo impression in stop-start traffic. But you’re not that well insulated at speed from road noise inside and the big door mirrors whip up the wind outside; so, again, for high-speed cruising a Touran is a far more cultured steed.

And the Tourneo Connect wouldn’t see which way the Touran went down a twisting country road, either. Where the Touran is surprisingly nimble and tied down for a boxy MPV, the Tourneo Connect sways about to greater excess and quickly runs out of front-end grip. And while the steering feels light for town driving, at speed it’s inconsistently weighted and vague around the straight ahead, so in motorway crosswinds you have a fair old job of keeping it steady in the centre of your lane.

How does Tourneo Connect ride? Well, it’s relatively soft and more compliant than the lumpy Renault Grand Scenic, so over general uneven roads it’s not too bad. But throw in something more complex, such as a sharp ridge or pothole, and it thuds markedly, while pimply sections of motorway set up a consistent shimmy. Neither issue is so apparent in a Touran.

Fuel 

Gearbox

0-62 MPH

We are yet to try out this variant

http://example.com

1.5 EcoBlue

15-ecoblue

1.5 EcoBlue 120

15-ecoblue-120

So, you’re in need of new wheels with loads of room and/ or seven seats. But, let’s face it, chances are you’re not reading this review, because you are instead perusing our reviews on the latest and greatest SUVs on sale. And why not; SUVs offer you all that practicality, with a splodge of je ne sais quoi to boot.

But if you couldn’t give a hoot about the latest trends in style, sass or shapeliness, but simply wish to lug around multiple flat packs or more than five folks in one sitting, then don’t forget you still have the option of an MPV.

Our favourite is the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/touran/mpv/review/n17348">Volkswagen Touran</a>, but Citroën has its <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/citroen/grand-c4-spacetourer/mpv/review/n17341">Grand C4 Spacetourer</a>, Renault the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/renault/grand-scenic/mpv/review/n17211">Grand Scenic</a> and Vauxhall the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/vauxhall/zafira/mpv/used-review/n973">Zafira Tourer</a>, so your options are plentiful. Those are the more car-like models, but there’s also another genre of MPV: those based on a van, of which this Ford Tourneo Connect is one.

Is it simply a van with windows, though, or is it worth considering as an alternative to the above? Read on and we’ll let you know.

Whatever you decide to buy, don’t forget to head straight over to What Car?’s <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals/configure/ford/tourneo-connect/estate/">new car buying section</a> for the best deals with the least hassle.

The rather sit-up-and-beg driving position of the Tourneo Connect feels comfortable, as does the soft cushioning on the driver’s seat when you’re simply bowing along in a straight line. However, the seat doesn’t have much side bolstering to keep you in place through corners, forcing you to cling on to the steering wheel for stability.

Seat height adjustment is standard, along with steering wheel rake and reach adjustment. Both are extensive enough to accommodate most shapes and sizes.

The halogen headlights aren’t that bright at night, but with so many tall panes of glass to see out of, the Tourneo Connect is both airy inside and provides good visibility when parking. However, despite the twin-glass door mirrors, which are meant to help with blindspots, on the motorway it’s still really easy to miss cars on your flanks if you’re not ultra-vigilant.

Vigilance is also required to operate the entry-level Zetec model’s infotainment system. That’s because you get a button-heavy dashboard and a tiny 3.5in monochrome dot-matrix screen that draws your attention from the road as you try to operate it. It’s a far cry from the modern touchscreen systems you’ll find in a Volkswagen Touran, Citroën Grand C4 Spacetourer and Renault Grand Scenic.

If you upgrade to Titanium trim, you do at least get a more recognisable 6.5in colour touchscreen system. Even this is nowhere near the slick VW system in the Touran, though.

Another area where the Tourneo Connect’s humble origins stand out like a soup-slurping diner at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet is quality – or the lack thereof. The plastics are harsh and cheap-looking, with the gaps between them often relatively large, and the buttons and switches operate with the smoothness of a 10lb club hammer. Consequently, it’s hard to think of rivals that don’t beat the Tourneo Connect for plushness.

Estate

Ford builds some of the most popular cars in the UK, including the Fiesta and Focus hatchbacks.

This success is partly down to longevity and the fact that there’s a Ford dealer around every corner. However, it’s also because Fords tend to offer good value and be among the best cars in their respective classes to drive.

The company’s huge range also helps; it offers everything from the small – but surprisingly practical – Ka+ to the large and lavishly equipped Edge SUV.

Meanwhile, other highlights of the range include the S-Max and Galaxy people carriers, the Mondeo executive car and the Ranger pick-up.

FORD

TOURNEO CONNECT

Very cheap to buy and very roomy inside, but in pretty much every other respect rival MPVs do a better job

This is the section in which it’s hard to fault the Tourneo Connect. For a start, there’s plenty of front leg room, but it’s head room that’s stupefying; even a family of extraordinary extraterrestrials like the Coneheads wouldn’t struggle for roof height.

It’s just as spacious for six-footers in the rear – and more so than in a Volkswagen Touran or Citroën Grand C4 Spacetourer. And with plenty of width available, seating three adults abreast won’t be a problem, either. For added flexibility, the second row of seats recline.

Then there’s how easy it is to get in and out of the back. Unlike traditional wide-opening hinged rear doors, the compact sliding doors of the Tourneo Connect make it easy to get into, even if some selfish so-and-so has parked too close, while the gaping-wide apertures mean you could almost fall inside with ease.

If you choose the seven-seat version, the two fold-out third-row seats are more of a faff to unfurl than those of many rivals but, once up, they fit adults far better than the more obvious MPVs out there.

There isn’t much boot space left with the sixth and seventh seats in use, but when they’re not being used the boot is truly enormous; you could fit way more large suitcases or buggies than the competition will manage. If you need more space, then the second-row seats fold flat in a 60/40 split or can be removed entirely to create… well, the van it is in essence.

The front passenger seat backrest folds flat, too, maximising the load bay length as well as creating a table. The only issue we noted was that you need a lot of space behind the huge top-hinged rear tailgate to open it fully; this can be a pain when there’s a car parked behind you at the supermarket. You don’t get a load bay cover to hide your prize marrows from prying eyes, either.

Zetec

zetec

Titanium

titanium

Active

active

Very cheap to buy and very roomy inside, but in pretty much every other respect rival MPVs do a better job

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plenty of space for all the family and their paraphernalia</li> <li>Comfortable ride for everyone inside</li> <li>Seats with plenty of adjustment and versatility of layout</li> <li>Engine that can cope with a full load of people and luggage</li> <li>Excellent efficiency to avoid big fuel bills</li></ul>

Practicality is king in the MPV market, which has taken a hit as buyers have turned towards trendier SUVs. There are still plenty of decent offerings to suit most budgets, though, with Citroën fielding a particularly strong line-up. The French manufacturer’s Berlingo offers bags of space for not much money and you can easily haggle off thousands of extra pounds in discounts, too.

Citroën also scores with the larger Grand C4 Spacetourer, which offers seven seats, lots of oddment space and appealing running costs for something so large. A similarly priced and even better option is the Volkswagen Touran. Meanwhile, if you prefer a premium badge, there's always the BMW 2 Series Active and Gran Tourers or Mercedes B-Class and V-Class.

But for something sizeable that's still decent to drive, we’d recommend you check out the Ford Galaxy, which can offer three rows of seats and decent luggage space at the same time. It’s not that much pricier than the smaller S-Max.

Ford Tourneo Connect review

Introduction

What Car? says...